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Tremendous amounts of money are spent on information technology each year. New capabilities and products arise every day. Predicting technology trends is an important part of the decision making process for businesses and investors. This is no easy task since much of the market relies on consumer needs and preferences. Businesses often lag behind in adapting new technologies. ask ira The driving force is often the necessity to effectively serve customers in their market. This requires organizations to adapt the same communication methods as their customers and trading partners. Businesses are finding that their future relies on incorporating technologies such as mobile networks, social media and cloud as well as a proliferation of applications and devices to manage data. multiple domain name search The ability to predict trends in technological advancements can better help prepare for shifts in the computing environment.

Recent Developments that Show Trends in Information Management

Some of the more recent trends that have emerged involve changes to the delivery platform. One of the most highly praised is cloud computing. The term refers to accessing and storing information or programs at a location over the internet rather than on a hard drive or local server. This feature is increasingly being used in intelligent data management. Cloud is still in its early stages but delivers numerous services. One common service offered is Software as a Service (SaaS) which delivers a single application across the internet to multiple clients. It allows the clients to use the application with no upfront investment or software license. Other services offered include storage and virtual servers that IT professionals can access on demand. Managed service providers that offer security monitoring and desktop management were among the first cloud services and their capabilities continue to grow.

Social media is another rapidly evolving platform. In addition to the most widely used social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, newcomers such as Pinterest and Instagram are gaining momentum. Niche platforms such as Untapped, Gentlemint and Third Age target a specific audience. Social media offers users a way to communicate and collaborate through text, graphics and video files. Users can incorporate media from other sites such as YouTube and SlideShare. Many of these networks offer an increasing number of applications and capabilities to enhance the user experience. Businesses have found social media to be an important part of marketing and branding. It allows them to interact with customers, introduce new products and get customer feedback. Paid advertising platforms are available through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The continued development of more sophisticated technologies allows businesses to better target their customers for increased ROI. The increasing capabilities and use of smart phones and tablets contribute greatly to the expansion of these networks.

Innovative Wearable and Smart Phone Augmented Reality Devices

Recent trends in information technology suggest that many technologies underway will be enhancements to already existing software or devices. One that is getting a lot of attention is augmented reality. Augmented reality combines computer generated input such as video, graphics or sound to enhance what is perceived through the senses. Google Glass was one of the first devices to feature the application. Google Glass is a wearable device that produces a display from a camera equipped with a processor that continuously scans the environment. Augmented reality is now being implemented in smart phones through the use of their cameras and GPS.

New Smart Phone Technologies: Bendable Screens and Holograms

Smart phones are undergoing rapid advancements. New quad core 1.4 GHz processors introduced for smart phones are producing capabilities thought impossible a few months before. OBJ 3D graphics files are currently being used to produce 3D screens. The capability to use OBJ applications to produce holograms is currently under development. Flexible screens that can be folded and unfolded as well as curved screens are also underway. LG has recently introduced a 4K capable processor that allows movies and games to be streamed from the phone to a television. The ability to record in surround sound has been produced in prototype phones.

New Tools for Real Time Information Management

Big data is another area expected to undergo significant advancements. An overwhelming amount of information is being produced by machines and sensors, yet surprisingly little of it is used. A number of tools are being introduced to help log and manage large volumes of information. New systems are being developed to assist in processing data quickly to enable critical decisions to be made. Cloud computing is expected to play a significant role in big data management.

Natural User Interfaces and Machines that Learn

Users can also expect to find more “human” interactions with the arrival of Natural User Interface (NUI). This includes not only tonal speech patterns, gestures and touch but the ability to understand what the user is doing, needs or wants. More intelligent systems are being developed with advanced machine learning capabilities. They have the ability to absorb large amounts of information and acquire knowledge from it.

Rapid Development in Smart Phone Technologies Continue

Mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets are widely used. They offer an ever growing number of resources including photo, audio and video capabilities as well as a plethora of productivity applications. As a business tool they offer a host of useful features such as scheduling, reminders and the ability to log activity. A number of innovative operating systems are available including iOS, Android and Blackberry. They can deliver real time news, weather and travel information and provide simple to use push button communication. App stores allow users to instantly download applications such as wallpaper, music and games. OBJ format files have provided smart phone applications with 3D animation and video games. Their immense number of applications and capabilities have attributed to their popularity for managing finances, travel and entertainment.

Summary

Trends in technological advancements suggest that over the next couple of years we’ll see a number of new capabilities including new tools for information management, natural user interfaces, machines that learn and new augmented reality devices. Several smart phone technologies are also under development such as flexible screens, holograms and 4K capabilities that allow streaming from smart phone to televisions.